The 'New Content' menu and the Trainz DLC system

[TrainzDev]

TS12 SP1 introduces a new menu option, the 'New Content' menu. It has three tabs - Paid, Free, and Upload.

The 'Free' tab shows a list of routes and sessions on the Download Station that have been recently uploaded. These user created maps have received no testing beyond the normal automated DLS upload processing. We do not vet them for completeness, compatibility or quality.
The 'Upload' tab allows upload of routes and sessions that you have created. Once uploaded, they will appear on the DLS and in the 'Free' list for other users to download.
The 'Paid' tab is for Trainz paid DLC content. Here you will find quality content created either in-house or by our 3rd party content partners. All the content in this list has been QA tested by N3V Games.

At the release of TS12 SP1, the list of paid content available is the previous official DLC content packs - the three route addon packs (Settle and Carlisle, Murchison II, and Classic Cabon City), the 'Treez' scenery pack, and the six train packs (Blue Comet, Duchess, PRR T1, Coronation Scot, Aerotrain, and the BR Class 14).

Packs can be purchased in game, and will be automatically downloaded and installed. Users with limited bandwidth should note that these packs can be large, and will take significant time to download.
If a pack you have purchased is updated, the updated version will start to download next time you start Trainz.
Future official DLC releases will be added to this menu when they become available.

Content creators often wish to run a second Trainz install with no additional content installed as a clean environment for content development and testing. Unfortunately, the auto-download feature can be undesirable in this case, so we have an option to disable it. After Trainz has started, pull down the Main menu, and select Options. In the General Settings tab, untick the Automatically download DLC updates option. With this unticked, Trainz will not attempt to download DLC products which you own, but do not have the latest version installed. Using this mechanism you can have an install with all your DLC content available, and a second install for development and testing which remains a clean and minimal setup.

 

[shaneturner12]

James - you may want to know that there are flaws in the DLC system, where it repeatedly fails to download/install said content and as a result gets stuck in a loop of redownloading the content every time Trainz is started.

Shane

 

[peterwise]

Shane,

Are you referring to Murchison II (which has two parts) or another item of content?

I can confirm that, at least for me, the two parts of Murchison II, if allowed to download at the same time. will fail with one part showing errors and (at least on my system) appear to force an automatic Database Repair which, as I have over 200 GB of content, takes 10-12 hours to run. Not a very desirable thing to have to do many times.

I did try Zec's fix [1] of cancelling one of the two parts and then when one is finished start up the other part. This seemed to work as the two parts were then error-free and the Murchison II routes and sessions were showing on my CM, but, what now seems like a probably unrelated CM or Trainz freeze (sometimes freezing the whole system, so needing a new boot) caused yet another auto-DR and Murchison had to download all over again. I currently cancel both parts of Murchison II immediately it starts to re-download and may consider disabling it for now (until a fix is announced) as James suggests. (Thanks James - I hadn't spotted that one).

Peter.
[1] FORUMS >> Maintenance of Way - Support >> TS12 Problem setting up purchased download content >> posting #9

 

[shaneturner12]

From what I've gathered, it's cropped up with more than just Murchinson 2...

Shane

 

[rumour3]

This feature definitely needs more work. In particular, iPad content needs to be filtered out from the PC/Mac stuff, or at the very least be flagged. Some search tools would also be handy, or tools to filter by region etc.

R3

 

[TrainzDev]

James - you may want to know that there are flaws in the DLC system, where it repeatedly fails to download/install said content and as a result gets stuck in a loop of redownloading the content every time Trainz is started.

This is not a general system problem as you suggest. Content should only be offered for re-download if a local problem is detected (e.g. missing assets) or an update is issued.

There was one faulty package definition (for the two-part Murchison II package), and this package only did repeatedly re-download. This problem has now been fixed.

 

[shaneturner12]

That's good, but I can still forsee further issues cropping up with the system if any further multi-part downloads are released in the future.


Shane

 

[TrainzDev]

That's good, but I can still forsee further issues cropping up with the system if any further multi-part downloads are released in the future.

The problem that has been fixed with Murchison was not related to it's size, or the fact it is downloaded in multiple pieces.

There is a hard limit on the amount of content that can be packed into a single CDP file. Murchison (the current package) is very close to this when split into two parts. We will likely reduce the size of individual pieces in future for improved reliability - and you can therefore expect to see further use of multi-part downloads for large content sets.

 

[shaneturner12]

Hopefully that will sort the problem, as I know some users were not happy with the repeated re-downloading issue.

Shane

 

[MegaByte69]

If we own a first class ticket, why is the download speed of these assets so slow? It does give us Download ticket holders the ability to download multiple assets at once( in the in-game trains options), however the speed is still extremely slow, even when canceling all other downloads and leaving just one running. It would be nice to be able to choose to download just one asset package at a time. I have also had repeated downloads of both the Murchison routes and the Settle and Carlisle routes. These should only have to be downloaded once I believe. Brad

 

[TrainzDev]

First class tickets don't affect payware DLC downloads. That option in the menu is for downloading multiple assets from the DLS in parallel, e.g. through the 'Content Updates' menu.

The download speed for payware DLC is not deliberately restricted. The packages (particularly the route packages) are large, hundreds or thousands of times the size of a typical DLS asset, and as a result they can take quite some time to download.

The repeated downloads for Murchison is now fixed, so if you are still seeing this after Friday (or you are seeing this for any other route) then you are experiencing either a failed download or a corrupted installation.

 

[shaneturner12]

James - not sure if you're aware, but the in-game DLC purchasing page is saying there's no packs currently available for purchase, and the buttons don't seem to work on mine either.

EDIT: Looks like it's just resolved itself, but my purchase of the Contz Standard Edition pack is not auto-downloading into my TS12 SP1 installation, despite being purchased on my account and the auto-download tickbox being ticked.

 

[PeG_Team]

I've bought Trainz Simulator 2012 with the Indie Gala Bundle, witch come with 2 DLC. My problem is, the DLC's doesn't appears, even once activated on the site and the launcher. How to resolve it, please? It seems a Steam DLC bug?!

 

[TrainzDev]

My purchase of the Contz Standard Edition pack is not auto-downloading into my TS12 SP1 installation, despite being purchased on my account and the auto-download tickbox being ticked.

That would be because Contz is not yet updated to the new format

 

[shaneturner12]

That would make sense - might be worth adding that information to the relevant DLC page though.

Shane

 

[Pikman]

After reading some of these posts, I choose to make one of my own regarding Murchison. Even after the fix, I am still unable to download these automatically with all the new TS12 updates. I usually show 2 errors and sometimes 4 errors so installation is aborted. I understand this a very complex set of routes and can only imagine the headaches this type of thing is causing. I do feel the upgrades to TS12 are fantastic. It runs much better and smoother, so I tip my hat to you in appreciation. Any suggestions on how I can complete these downloads will be much appreciated...

Ken

 

[peterwise]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the way some DLCs are now provided with the 'New Content' menu, per se, especially as updates will be provided automatically.

However, I would like to suggest two things:

[1] It should be permitted for Routes and Sessions (e.g. Settle and Carlisle or Murcishon) to be modified by the user. There are many among us that like to change sessions and even routes to personal taste (and for our own use), myself among them. For example, one might want to change the period of a route (or add more detail) or the locos, rolling stock or variety of operations in a session. Luckily I had stared making my changes to S&C in TS12 (no SP), so I still have them in TS12 SP1. It seems unlikely that the route/session content providers requested the block on allowing change and it may well be that it is an unexpected side-effect of the operation of 'New Content' menu. May I suggest that either a way be found to allow changes by the user to DLC routes and sessions auto-loaded from the 'New Content' menu or they revert to the previous 'licence key' operation.

[2] As I wrote the fact that DLC updates will be provided automatically is handy, but there will inevitably be times when it is not possible for the user to allow a protracted download[1]. So they should be offered - not started automatically. The user will then be able to postpone the download until a more favourable time.

I considered raising a support issue. Will these issues be considered seriously if they are posited through this forum?

All the best,

Peter.

NOTES.
[1] One normally had Trainz 'Fullscreen', so other tasks cannot be done while downloading DLCs.

 

[TrainzDev]

[1] It should be permitted for Routes and Sessions (e.g. Settle and Carlisle or Murcishon) to be modified by the user. There are many among us that like to change sessions and even routes to personal taste (and for our own use), myself among them. For example, one might want to change the period of a route (or add more detail) or the locos, rolling stock or variety of operations in a session. Luckily I had stared making my changes to S&C in TS12 (no SP), so I still have them in TS12 SP1. It seems unlikely that the route/session content providers requested the block on allowing change

Not at all unlikely. While it isn't a universal request, it's quite a common one from content creators.

The main issue is if you can save a copy of the map under a different ID, you can upload it somewhere for others to download - including for people who don't own the DLC pack.

However, that doesn't mean you can't achieve what you want to -- you'll just need to go about it slightly differently. You should be able to do everything you have described within a session. Make a new session for the payware route using the 'create session' feature. Add new objects to a session layer. If you want to remove an object from the map, you'll need to bind it to a session layer and hide the session layer.

You might have an interesting time if you want to remove something like the water troughs, as that is an industry and hiding it will also hide the track. My approach to that would be to create a junction on the next spline point -- well, maybe a few up, as I'd want to find something that will give me a smooth run onto the new track. Re-lay the track from there up to a similar junction the other side of the troughs. Hide the troughs and the short section of the original track which you duplicated using the bound layer feature. Default the junction lever to the visible path. Oh, and hide the junction lever as well so people don't change it and drive into the invisible bit.

That way you can even release your session if you want to, as it only contains your modifications, and not any of the original creators work.

Actually, the bound layer feature is an interesting topic, and probably warrants a blog post all of it's own.

and it may well be that it is an unexpected side-effect of the operation of 'New Content' menu. May I suggest that either a way be found to allow changes by the user to DLC routes and sessions auto-loaded from the 'New Content' menu or they revert to the previous 'licence key' operation.

It's not unexpected, and it's not specifically to do with the menu.

[2] As I wrote the fact that DLC updates will be provided automatically is handy, but there will inevitably be times when it is not possible for the user to allow a protracted download[1]. So they should be offered - not started automatically. The user will then be able to postpone the download until a more favourable time.

You already have a menu option which can do this. Simply turn off automatic updating in the menu when you are short on bandwidth. When you want an update, turn it back on again. If you want to update only a specific thing, and multiple start, just cancel the ones you don't want to update.

[1] One normally had Trainz 'Fullscreen', so other tasks cannot be done while downloading DLCs.

You can use the minimise button (-) to put the download window in the trainz menubar, and then use trainz as normal - Railyard, Driver and Surveyor will all work fine, although obviously they won't show the content that is still downloading. You should also be able to alt+tab out of Trainz if necessary...